Have you ever wanted a fast pass through airport security
just like you can get at an amusement park like Disney?
Well that is exactly what TSA PreCheck and Global Entry give you
when you enroll in either of these programs.
In this video I am going to be sharing with you the difference between the two
programs, their benefits, and how you can apply for them.
Hi, my name is Ben and I am the owner of Ben Thoennes Dream Vacations Travel Agency
and on this channel I create travel resource and information videos
just like this one to help you plan for your next vacation
So if you are new here consider subscribing.
So, what is TSA PreCheck and Global Entry and what is the difference between the two?
TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are what's known as Trusted Traveler Programs
TSA PreCheck is run by the TSA and when you enroll in their program
you are essentially allowing them to conduct a background check on you
so that they can determine whether you can be classified as a low-risk traveler
Once you have been classified as a low-risk traveler, then you can be expedited
or you can think of it as a fast pass through airport security.
Global Entry on the other hand is a Customs Border Protection program
that allows you to be expedited through U.S. Customs when you are returning
to the U.S. from another country, and the Global Entry
program includes TSA PreCheck
So the benefit of getting TSA PreCheck is that when you are going through
airport security you can use the precheck line and unlike the normal
security lines you do not have to take off your shoes, your belt, your laptop
can stay in its case, and you won't have to take out any liquids or gels
out of your carry-on which in turn makes for a quicker wait time through security.
In fact, the TSA indicated that more than 90 percent of precheck passengers
wait less than 5 minutes in line.
Now that stat was taken before the start of the pandemic just to give you
a realistic expectation of how long you can expect to wait in a precheck line.
The other benefit of getting TSA PreCheck is that if you have kids
that are 12 years or younger, they can go through the precheck lines
with you without having to enroll to get their own precheck clearance.
For Global Entry it comes with all the benefits of TSA PreCheck plus
you can pretty much bypass U.S. Customs when returning from another country
As a Global Entry member you won't have to fill out any paperwork
or wait in long processing lines.
Instead, you would just head to a Global Entry kiosk
you will scan your passport and fingerprints and complete a customs declaration
The kiosk will then print out a receipt, and will just take that receipt
to a Customs officer who will then clear you through customs.
Now you can still be subject to further examination by a Customs officer
if he or she chooses to, so it doesn't always mean that
you will always be able to bypass a customs interview when returning to the U.S.
I would just like to say that for any potential trusted traveler program like
TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, a potential drawback is that
you will be supplying information to the Government including
your fingerprints and a photo, and I just want to say that
giving up that personal information is an individual decision and you should
definitely weigh that decision before you choose to apply
but, if you are ready to move forward and apply
for one of these two programs then here is how to do it.
If you want to enroll in TSA PreCheck the cost is $85
for Global Entry its $100, and both programs are good for 5 years.
Both require you to visit an enrollment center for fingerprinting and ID
but Global Entry also requires an interview, and just know that there
are fewer enrollment centers for Global Entry as there is for TSA-PreCheck
For me when I got my Global Entry back in 2019 it was a 6 month process
It took 3 months just to get conditional approved
and a 3 month wait just to get the interview
Now I think its quite that bad but just know that if you applying
for Global Entry it could be a long process
If you want to enroll in TSA-PreCheck, which does not require
a passport to apply by the way
you will need to fill out an online application
which I will link in the video description
pay the $85 fee and schedule an appointment at one of the enrollment centers
At the appointment, which should only take 10 minutes
you will undergo a background check and fingerprinting
After the appointment, it may show whether you have been approved within 2 days
and you will receive written notification within 2 to 3 weeks
Your approval will include your Known Traveler Number or KTN for short
and you can add it to any flight reservation that you have
or you can add it to any airline rewards program that you belong to
and it will automatically add that number to any flight reservation
that you book going forward
Just note that just because you have TSA-PreCheck
TSA itself does not guarantee that you can always get it
and not every airport and airline participates in the program
If you want to see a full list of which airports and airlines
participate in the TSA program I will link that in the video
description and you can check it out for yourself
If you want to enroll in Global Entry you will first need a passport to apply
and if you need to know how to apply for a U.S. passport
I have a video on that. You can just click the link above
or you can find it in the video description below
Once you have your passport you will need to complete a Trusted Traveler Account
I will also link that in the video description
and then once you have that you go ahead and complete the online application
and submit your $100 membership fee
Next, the Customs and Border Protection Agency
will review your application, and you will receive notification
that you have been conditionally approved
At which time you can go ahead and schedule an interview
at a Global Entry enrollment center for an interview
Or you can also schedule your interview upon arrival to the U.S.
from an international flight
So the last thing I will say about Global Entry is that unlike TSA PreCheck
where if you have kids that are 12 or under
they can go through the precheck line with you
that is not the case with Global Entry
Each kid would have to get their own enrollment in the program
so if you are heading on an international trip
you will want to consider whether or not
you want to enroll your kids in the program as well
And that will do it for this video
I hope you found this video helpful
and if you did make sure you hit the like button
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related videos just like this one
And if you want to use my services to help you plan your next vacation
You can contact me at bthoennes@dreamvacations.com
Thank you so much for watching
and I hope to see you in a future video!